Hot-air engine.



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APPLICATION FILED JAN. a, 1902. 1,038,805.

ghwenkoz Si J. WEBB.

IIoT AIR ENGINE.

APPLICATION IILIII) JAN. s. 1902. 1,038,805., Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

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SAMUEL J. WEBB, or Minnen; Louisiana;

ROBERT D. WEBB, OF IVIINDEN, LOUISIANA,

BY INHERI'IANCE AND BY lllI-ESNE ASSIGNIVIENTS OWNER OF ENTIRE TITLE.

. HOT-AIR ENGINE.

Applicationled January 8, 190.2. Serial No. 88,917.

citizen of the United States, residing at' Minden, in the parish of Webster and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IaIot-Air Engines` of which the following is a specilication.

i My invention relates to that class of motors in which movement is imparted to the operating parts of an engine by compressed air, and my invention consists in means whereby to secure the motor fluid in proper quantity and at desired pressure and for utilizing the same in driving the engine as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which" Figure l is a-longitudinal sectional elevation of al1-apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the relieic and regulating valve; Fig. 3 is a plan View showing a compound motor engine, which.

may be used in place of that shown in Fig. l. i

In the apparatus are the main parts, the motor A, the compressor B, the heater C and a conduit l) including the heater between the outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the motor.

The motor as shown has a cylinder, piston and piston rod, but it may be of rotary or other form, as also may the co1npressor,'and the heater is shown as a coil of the conduit D arranged in a furnace 6 suitably heated, but any other means of heating the air or other 'gas passing from the compressor may7 be employed. lIhe motor has a slide or other valve, not shown, controlling admission and exhaust.

In the construction shown, the compressin cylinder has two air inlet ports with spring seated valves 7, 7, and two outlet ports also with spring closed valves 8, 8, the casings of which communicate with the conduit D. In said conduit are suitable control valves.

The reciprocation ot' the piston oi the compressor draws air into the ends altern nately of the cylinder and compresses the same, forcing it into the heater whcnt it is heated in its compressed state and thence passes to the motor.

To provide for a reserve supply of compressed motor Huid I may make use of a reservoir or receptacle F communicating with specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Gdept. I7, IN2.

Y an exhaust port controlled by a hand valve Gr and insert a check valve 9 between the receptacle F andthe valve Gr. On opening the valve G the check valve 9 at once closes and the engine is operated from the supply of fluid in t-he receptacle F passing througi the coil 50 and branch 51, while the air from i the compressor is ejected from the port controlled by the valve G and the resistance of the compressor is thus cut olf so that for a short time the full `pressure of the motor fluid is available.

The receptacle F is preferably so ,arranged as not to be heated and is thus stored with cold air, which when passed to the heater, then becomes eiipanded and increased in pressure.-` I thus store up a. greater volume than would be practicable if the receptacle was heated.

It is desirable to prevent a pressure in the air receiving channels and receptacles above a predetermined amount and I therefore provide a lay-pass and a regulating valve device O which on an undue increase of pressure permits the air to pass cold from the compressor to the motor instead of directing it to the heater whereby there is such a flow of part of the air through the pipes D, 54k and engine that the pressure is soon reduced when the operations become normal.

Inasmuch as the cylinder B is of much less dia-meter than theI cylinder of the engine A, the air may be discharged from the com presser although the engine operates at a less pressure per square inch than that in the compressor.

While I -have shown a single cylinder .et in the motor and in the compressor, each may have a plurality of cylinders. I also propose to utilize the retained heat of the exhaust of the motor by using a compound motor. rIhus in Ifig. 3, the motor A has a high pressure cylinder 15 and low pressure cylinder 16 with connections and valves as in ordinary compound engines and the com- .pressor has a low pressure cylinder 10 and high pressure cylinder 12, thereby securing the advantages of two successive compressions of the air and secures also a higher working pressure.

Check valves 40 are arranged at proper points. l

It will be seen that with my construction and arrangement of parts atmospheric air is the conduit D and I provide the latter with j compressed to a relatively lu'gh pressure and then expanded and increased in volume by heat in the heater and from the heater the expanded and increased volume of air passes to the motor.

For the purpose of starting Aa motor a reservoir F, is charged with air under pressure, which air may be delivered to the motor by a suitable valve and connections and may be passed through the heater and an exhaust pipe controlled by the'valve G permits the air to be ejected from the compressor. on st-arting the motor from the air reservoir', and the check valve 9, prevents the compressed air in the reservoir exhaust ing at this time. The by-pass with its automatic valve allows the cold air to pass directly from the compressor to the motor under excess of pressure in the compressor or the conduit connected therewith.

V"Without limit-ing myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim Y l. In a hot air engine, the combination of an air compressor, a motor adapted to be operated by air compressed by the compressor, the latter connected to be operated by the motor, a conduit between the outlet of the compressor and the inlet port of the motor, means for heating the air passing through said conduit, and a by-pass connection between the' compressor and motor permit-ting the cold air when the 4pressure is excessive to pass between the compressor and motor without going through the heater, substantially as set forth.

2. Ina hot air engine, the combination of a motor air-actuated engine, an air compressor'connected to be operated b the motor, a conduit between the outlet of the compressor and the inlet port of the motor, means for heating the air passing through said conduit, and a by-pass and loaded valve for permitting air above determined pressure to pass. to the motor Without passing through the heater, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hot air engine, the combination of a motor engine having a cylinder and reciprocating piston, an air compressor connected to be operated by' the motor but of smaller diameter, a conduit between the out let of the compressor and the inlet port ofthe motor, means for heating the air passing through said conduit, and an air receptacle communicating with said conduit, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a compound motor engine having high and low pressure cylinders, of a compound air compressor having high and low pressure cylinders, the cylinders being arranged in line with a piston rod common to all the pistons, a conduit between the compound motor engine and its cylinder and the compound air compressor, and a connection with the compound air compressor adapted to deliver compressed air for lthe purpose of heating, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed lmy name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: y

H. M. GILLMAN, Jr., W. CLARENCE DUvALL.

SAMUEL J. WEBB-fV 

